Falling for the Rockstar

Chapter 24 - Louis

The first rays of sunlight filter through the hotel room curtains, casting warm, golden lines on the bedspread and on Grace's face, which rests peacefully against my chest. Her hand lies on my stomach, her fingers nervously playing with the fabric of my shirt.

"Morning," she murmurs softly, without lifting her head.
"Morning, babe," I reply, my voice still rough from sleep. I press a kiss to her forehead and gently run my fingers through her hair. She feels delicate and fragile in my arms. For a while, we simply lie there, the silence between us comfortable, almost soothing. But I know it can't stay like this forever. Eventually, we'll have to talk.

"How do you feel?" I ask.
"I don't know," she admits honestly, her voice little more than a whisper. She lifts her head slightly, so her eyes meet mine. "Everything feels so... unreal. I mean... I'm pregnant now. With your baby."

Her words hit me straight in the heart. It's almost impossible to believe. I don't know how to respond, so I simply stay quiet and hold her closer.

"I'll call my gynecologist right away. The doctor said I should get everything checked. Maybe I'll get an appointment for today."

"Can I come with you?" I ask hesitantly.
Grace looks at me in surprise before a soft smile creeps onto her lips. "Of course, you can come with me. If you want to."

"I want to," I say firmly. "I want to be there from the start. No matter what happens."
She nods slowly, her gaze soft but filled with uncertainty. "Okay. I'll call before Breakfast ."
I pull her back into my arms and kiss her forehead. "That sounds good."
For a while, it's quiet again, our breaths syncing with one another, but I can feel her growing restless. Her fingers lightly tap against my upper arm, as if her thoughts won't let her settle.

"What's on your mind?" I ask gently.
She lifts her head and looks at me. "I'm just wondering... what happens now? What about us? About your life? About mine?"

I sigh softly and sit up a little to look her in the eyes. "I have no idea how all this will unfold. We'll take it step by step."

"But what about your career?" she asks. "Your fans, the press? You know how people can be. They'll scrutinize us, judge every decision we make."

"Yeah, they will," I admit. "But they're going to do that anyway. And if there's one thing I've learned, it's that there will always be someone with a problem with my life. I can't please everyone. We'll make it, Grace. I promise."

A spark of hope flashes in her eyes, and she nods. "Okay."

When we finally get out of bed, Grace calls her doctor and actually manages to get an appointment for early afternoon.

****

The waiting area of the doctor's office is quiet. Grace sits next to me, her hands resting in her lap, but I can see her fingers trembling slightly. My hand moves over hers, and I gently squeeze it. She gives me a small smile, though it can't quite hide her uncertainty.

"Everything's going to be fine," I whisper.

"Grace Turner?" The nurse appears in the doorway, smiling politely. Grace stands up, and I follow her without thinking.

Inside, there's a calming atmosphere. The doctor, a middle-aged woman with warm eyes and a calm voice, greets us and asks Grace to sit.

"What can I do for you?" she asks gently.
"I'm pregnant," Grace says softly, her voice trembling a little as she speaks the words. "I just wanted to make sure everything's okay."
The doctor nods sympathetically and then turns to me. "And you're the father?"

"Yes," I answer, my voice steady, even though my heart is still racing. It feels surreal to say that, but it's the truth.

The doctor nods and smiles gently as she picks up the file and makes a few notes. "Good, then let's do a few tests to see how the baby is doing. First, a blood test, and then an ultrasound."

Grace nods, her fingers gripping mine as she sits on the examination table. I stay close by her side, holding her hand tightly and trying to give her as much reassurance as I can. Her eyes nervously scan the room, and I can see the uncertainty in them.

"It's going to be okay, love," I say softly, though I'm a little tense inside too. But she needs to know that I'm 100% here for her.

The nurse returns and prepares the needle. Grace flinches as the needle touches her arm, but she stays still. I gently stroke the back of her hand to comfort her. She returns my smile, though it's faint.

Once the blood test is finished, we wait for the ultrasound. It doesn't take long before the doctor comes back in.

"Are you ready?" she asks, and I can see Grace take a deep breath and nod.

The doctor begins the ultrasound and applies the gel to Grace's stomach. For a moment, everything is still, and my heart races as I look at the monitor. I can't really interpret the small screen, but the doctor points to a tiny spot on the screen with her finger.

The room goes silent, the only sound is a steady beat. The doctor smiles gently. "This," she says, "is the heart. It's beating strong."

My gaze stays fixed on the small spot on the screen, and for a moment, I can barely breathe.

I nod silently, unable to do more than offer a simple smile. The heartbeat, steady and strong, echoing through the monitor, is a sound I'll never forget. It's the first time we've heard the life growing inside her.

Suddenly, I feel a lump rise in my throat. I try to hold back the tears, but they come anyway. I blink quickly, realizing my eyes are filling with tears. There's so much rising inside me in this moment – a mixture of overwhelming joy, fear, and the knowledge that everything is about to change. For the first time, it hits me what I'm seeing. My child. My blood. I'm going to be a father.

"Louis?" Grace's quiet voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I look at her. She's looking at me, her eyes shining with emotion, and I know she's feeling the same thing right now.

I just smile at her and squeeze her hand, unable to say a single word. Grace nods, and I see her fighting back tears too. Her hand grips mine so tightly it almost hurts.

The doctor smiles at us and gently presses on the monitor. "Everything looks good for 12 weeks, and the heartbeat is healthy. It's growing exactly as it should."

The doctor hands me the ultrasound picture. "I'll prepare the maternity book quickly. I'll be right back."

I look at the small black-and-white image, and in that moment, I know – I want to protect this little person, who is now part of us, more than anything else. In this moment, I swear I'll do everything for this little life, and I'll will protect it with everything I have.

---

Authors note:

If you liked the chapter, please leave your vote and your feedback!